Pendragon Chronicles: Lost Onyx
by Lordoftheghostking28
Summary: Book two. Bobby and Press head to Alth, which is full of surprises. Saint Dane is devising another plan...will they be able to stop him before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1

_**Pendragon Chronicles Book 2: Lost Onyx.**_

**Yep. Pokémon. U happy, bro?**

**If you haven't read _Pendragon Chronicles: Guerra Y Paz_, then I highly recommend you do. This is the story following that one. This one is looking like it won't be as long as **_**Guerra Y Paz**_**, but it will still be a pretty epic story and stuff. Anyway, onward!**

**XxXxXxXx**

**CHAPTER 1**

**XxXxXxXx**

**SECOND EARTH**

**XxXxXxXx**

Mark and Courtney went along with their lives since they had last saw Bobby and Press. They eventually delivered Second Earth clothes to the Flume, happy to discover that the quigs had not made a return. No journals came for the next week, and they instead turned to focusing on schoolwork. The journals even slipped their minds for a while as they took some exams and studied for future ones. It was a night five months later that the journals started coming.

Mark quickly picked up a pile of papers decorated with some sort of animal in the corner and hurried to a phone. "Courtney?" He stuttered as soon as the other end of the phone line connected. "We got another journal!"

"I'll be over in ten minutes!" Was the reply. "Don't read without me!"

Mark sat in his room, staring at the first page. He couldn't help it. He began to read.

**XxXxXxXx**

**ALTH**

**XxXxXxXx**

This Territory is amazing. I'm not exaggerating. Sure, Press and I were nearly killed by ghosts the second we arrived, but hey…it's all good. I suppose I should start at the beginning, though…

We flew through the Flume after meeting you guys, toward this odd Territory known as Alth. I had no idea what lay ahead…only that Uncle Press said I would like this one. I sure hoped he was right. I watched faint shapes float through the Flume with us, sort of like ghosts. I think I saw a cat. And an alien or something. The music was pretty nice too…at least this time I wasn't freaking out.

We were deposited in this foggy…place. It looked like we were outside, but I saw brick walls and even a roof over us. The fog hung over small, curved stones stretching from one wall to another. I realized with horror that these were small gravestones…almost the perfect size for a child's gravesite. I think I paled, because Press put a hand to my shoulder and pushed me forward slightly. I turned to see where the Flume was.

It was a huge, smooth brick. The star was carved crudely above it, and my ring was still glowing. We walked over dewy grass, an eerie silence covering the entire place.

"This is the scariest part of the Territory," Press said. "It's actually quite pleasant once you get past this place." His voice slightly echoed.

"I'll have to see it to believe it." I said in a voice close to a whisper. I felt as if I so much as spoke in a normal voice, we would be greeted by this Territory's version of Hell.

I suddenly realized something. "Um…Uncle Press…? Where are the quigs…?"

He chuckled slightly. "That's why this is the worst part of the Territory."

I heard a sound behind me…almost like laughter. It echoed around the gravesite, coming from all directions. I stared wildly around the room, seeing shapes fade in and out of existence. Press pushed me along. "Don't worry about them. They're just here to scare us away…they're not like Second Earth quigs."

I backed up sharply and gave a small squeak of surprise as a faint shape shot up from the ground in front of me. It was murky purple, with two black, angry looking shapes on what I assumed was its head. It swiped at me with ghostly claws, passing easily through me. I felt no pain, and I wasn't dying from a huge gash. It was a ghost…it couldn't hurt me…could it?

"Keep going, Bobby. The stairs are over there." Press encouraged.

I ran in the general direction he pointed, eyes shut tightly. I actually felt a ghost drift past my face. It was cold, almost like a draft.

I was suddenly out of ground. My eyes shot open and I discovered I was taking a tumble down a flight of stone stairs. I tried to protect my head and turn sideways. My arms absorbed most of the impact, and I felt as though I had been smashed with some sort of hammer over and over. I eventually stopped tumbling, rolling to a stop on the floor below the graveyard. This floor was made of stone, not grass and dirt like the one above. I didn't move for a few seconds. I hoped those ghosts wouldn't follow us.

I heard Press hurry down the stone stairs and stoop next to me. "Bobby? Are you all right?"

I nodded and stood, my knees shaking violently. My head really hurt. "I'm f-fine…"

He grinned and laughed, which really took me by surprise. "I had a similar reaction when I first set foot on this Territory. Although, I didn't take the stairs quite so fast."

"Very funny." I muttered. I glanced around the room we were currently in. More gravestones lined the ground, in neat little rows. I spotted someone sitting in the far corner, back to us. She had long black hair that came almost halfway down her back and she was wearing a long, dark purple dress of some sort.

"Who's that?" I pointed to the girl.

"Just someone here to pay their respects." Press said. "We should go."

Something about his voice seemed rushed.

"What are these gravestones here for, anyway? Is this some sort of…children's cemetery?" I motioned to a group of nearby headstones. "Look at these! They're so small. What's buried here?"

"Those who _have given their_ lives in the _War_."

I jumped at the cold, feminine voice behind me. I spun around, shocked to see the girl with the long black hair standing directly behind me. She was pale, and my first thought was, 'Vampire'.

"Many have _died_." She continued, keeping her eyes on the ground. Something was strange about her voice…sometimes it would echo, sometimes sound sharp and harsh, as though angry. "Died in _this pointless, preventable_ war." She began walking toward us, eyes still glued to the ground.

I glanced at Press, surprised to see him backing up quickly toward another staircase heading down. I hurried to his side, not taking my eyes off the girl.

"What war? What's happened here?" I asked.

"This Territory is very fragile now," Press said. "It just survived a war. It was previously a Lost Territory…now we are here to set it straight for the rest of time."

"Do not meddle_ with its fate_!" The girl screeched. She lunged at us and I dove to the side, heart pounding. She turned her sights on me, glowing yellow eyes staring into my very soul. I've seen those eyes before…

"Is…is she a quig?!" I shouted.

Press nodded.

"_The ghosts_? We are all that remain of_ the souls that have stayed behind!_" The girl's voice was overlapping something else…a lower voice. "We take _hosts and _guard the _Flume from monsters like you!_"

She took something from a pocket, a little red and white ball. She pressed a button in the middle of it and it grew to the size of a softball. She drew back her arm and threw it at my head.

I ducked, and the ball sailed into the wall, where it popped open. A flash of light exited it, forming on the stone floor. I was staring at some sort of yellow creature about half as tall as me. It had catlike ears and white fur around its neck, and it was holding something in its hand…a little circular rock on a string. It swayed back and fourth in front of its face as it stared at me with dark eyes.

"What is that thing?" I stumbled backward.

"_Hypno! Hypnosis!_" the girl commanded.

Press grabbed my arm and began pulling me toward the stairs ahead. I turned to stare back at the girl and that strange creature. The creature's eyes had changed to a bright purple and the pendulum it was swinging began to speed up. I felt extremely tired.

We made it to the stairs alive. Press nearly pushed me down them, but we made it to the lower level of the strange place we were in. I was turning out not to like Alth that much right now.

"What now?" I yawned.

"We need to find the exit." Press stared around the room that appeared to be the exact duplicate of the last. The only difference was there were more people milling about, all of them dressed in dark purple dresses or suits. "Brilliant. More Channelers."

I blinked away the tired feeling and forced myself to focus. "I don't like these quigs."

"They're scary as hell and they can do damage. They're some of the best." Press gave me a grin. "Now, I need you to run for the middle of the room, just past those gravestones. There's an open space there. Wait there for a few seconds while I keep these guys busy. Ready?"

"No," I said truthfully.

"Go!" Press gave me a push and I tumbled over a headstone, catching some of the Channelers' attention. I hurriedly scrambled up and locked my eyes on the center of the room, trying to ignore the people closing in on me. I felt a hand wrap tightly around my wrist.

"Let me go!" I screamed, kicking out at the Channeler, a frail looking woman. She didn't release me and instead smiled an unnaturally large smile, lips stretching far back to her cheeks. She leaned close to my ear as more Channelers gripped my arms, my clothes…

"_Give…me…blood!_" she screeched.

I kicked a few of the people away from me and struggled to escape the three that held my arms in a death grip. I could see the center of the room…maybe I had enough strength to lug them there with me…? I hoped Press knew what he was doing my sending me to the middle of the place…

I struggled to pull the three Channelers along. They were strong; stronger than normal people. And they seemed to be fighting with themselves…for control over their own bodies. The ghosts possessing them must not be as strong as I had thought.

"_No! Do_ not go to the _Purified Zone! No!_" one of them screamed.

I could see a little red and white ball sitting in the exact middle of the room now. I freed one arm from the Channelers and used it to attempt to pry the others off. The frail woman from before smacked my hand away and cried an unearthly sound that set my teeth on edge. I was reminded quite suddenly of zombies.

I was close to the little ball now. I reached for it, still struggling with two Channelers with my other arm. I was winning, though. I was pulling them closer and closer to my destination…

Blue designs lit up the floor and a faint azure glow sprung up from the ground. The Channelers screeched and cried, letting go of my arm immediately and turning back. I was left to catch my breath, the blue glow surrounding me. I hoped I was safe.

I picked up the little red and white ball and pressed the button in the middle of it. It popped open and clothes shot out of it, wrapping around my face. I pulled them off and stared in awe at the little ball, wondering how the heck someone could stuff two pairs of shirts and pants along with a hat, two belts, and two pairs of shoes into it. This Territory was advanced.

I had to ignore the Channelers outside the Purified Zone as I quickly pulled off my First Earth uniform and put on the Alth clothes. I hooked the belt around my waist, finding six small groups of three hooks. They were the exact size to fit the white and red ball. I clipped it into the first one as I pulled on a hat.

Press jumped into the Zone a few seconds later, looking thrilled. "This place is amazing, isn't it?"

I threw a pair of pants at his head. "Well, I was nearly turned into a vampire or something. So yeah, _amazing_!" I said sarcastically.

"Sorry about the Channelers. I never had much of a problem with them…Saint Dane must have done something." Press shrugged.

"It's ok." I turned to watch a few of the Channelers as Press changed.

This Territory was horrifying, to say the least. I really hoped it would get better. I didn't want to be running from possessed Channelers the entire time.

"We look like Trainers, don't we?" Press grinned.

I turned around to face him again. He was wearing something similar to me, only my shirt was green and his was a dark purple. He had the belt on, too. "And look! You've already got something there." He pointed to the red and white ball at my side.

"It's empty." I shrugged.

"I'm sure we can change that later." Press turned in a full circle, trying to plan our escape. "I suppose we can leap over the tombstones to get to the next flight of stairs." He pointed.

"Are we almost out of here yet?" I groaned. "I hate this Fume's location."

"Everyone does. The Traveler and Acolyte here despise it."

"I don't doubt it."

"When I say go, go. And don't stop until you make it to the next floor." Press said. "Ready…go!"

We took off running, at least four Channelers behind us. I didn't dare look back. I felt a hand swipe at my belt, but it missed and I wasn't yanked to the floor.

"Don't slow down!" Press shouted at me. "The stairway's just ahead!"

I felt my Alth shoes slam into the stone stairs. I nearly fell down them again as I quickly stumbled down. The Channelers let out a loud shrieking sound and went silent.

Press jogged up to me. "You can relax now. The Channelers can't follow us down the stairs. We're safe."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because the spirits live on that floor and that floor only. They can't go far from their graves."

"Oh," I muttered.

We were on a floor just like the others, only this one was occupied by a few people, all of them either standing around or kneeling at graves. I walked up to an older guy. "Hey…what's this place?"

"Did you come to pay respects to your departed Pokémon?" He asked. "This is the Pokémon Tower. Their final resting place."

** XxXxXxXx**

** I dunno about you guys, but this is really cheesy. Sorry. But I freaking love Lavender Town and the Tower.**

**And this will get serious really quick.**

** Up next: Battles and more stuff. Stay tuned!**

** Hasta la Vista, Readers!**

** Lordoftheghostking28**


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

**XxXxXxXx**

**ALTH**

**XxXxXxXx**

Press and I left the Tower shortly after that. He stated we needed our own Pokémon if we were going to survive on this Territory. He said he knew someone who could give us some.

I was stoked. I played Pokémon when I was a kid, but I could barely remember anything about it at all. I just remember leveling up to fight four people at the end, but I was sure that the game greatly differed from the Territory.

We walked from the Tower around the outside of town. That is…if you could even call it a town. I counted four tiny houses in what I assumed was a 'neighborhood'. A slightly bigger building with a half-burnt out neon sign that read, 'Pokémart' was sitting nearby the town's entrance. There was a run down motel nearby the Tower, but that was it for the structures.

"This...are all the cities on Alth like this?" I asked.

"Not really…most of them have gyms and PokéCenters." Press said. "Lavender Town…this one…has the Pokémon Tower. This place was hit hardest from the war, but they've come a long way."

"What war?"

Press motioned to a patch of tall grass that looked as though it would tower over our heads blocking the only way out of the city if we didn't want to take the forest trek. "Maybe it'd be better to show you. But I will explain on the way."

We headed for the tall grass. "Was this entire Territory destroyed?"

"Partially. I suppose it could be considered a world war. A civil war. The entire Territory was once ruled under one ruler, until he was killed in the first stages of the battles." Press said. "Now they are divided into two. On one side, the population is huge, more than three fourths of the planet's people. But they are unarmed and trying to rebuild. The other side is a crime organization. They steal and gain things illegally. They are only slowing our progress to pick up the pieces. And they are—"

"Stop!" A voice shouted behind us.

Press and I turned to see a short boy. He was wearing a black T-shirt under a red vest and blue jeans. He had a red and white hat on, but it didn't tame his messy black hair. He had a full belt of those little red and white balls. He couldn't have been any older than eleven.

"What is it? Is something wrong?" Press asked.

"You can't go into the grass without a Pokémon," he said. His voice sounded older than he was.

"Oh, that's right…I've forgotten about that." Press admitted.

"I can give you one." The boy continued.

"I don't have one either." I confessed, opening the empty ball at my belt.

"Well, don't be walking around with that one at your side! That's recipe for robbery. The thieves around here are itching for battle…don't make yourself seem like easy targets," the kid pulled a light coloured pack from his back and opened it. "I'm not allowed to carry more than six…none of us Trainers are. But with everything happening lately…" He handed us two of the balls.

"Thanks," I said. "…What's in them?"

"Pokémon," the kid said, as though it was obvious.

"No…I mean, what kind of Pokémon?"

The kid leaned in, as though fearful of being overheard. "A Vulpix and a Pidgeotto."

"What are those like?" I asked stupidly.

"See for yourself. Away from any prying eyes," The kid said.

"Well, thanks…" I started.

"It's Red."

"Thanks, Red." I held out my hand.

Red's eyes flicked to my Traveler ring as he returned the handshake. "May I ask how you came into the possession of an empty Pokéball?"

"Uh…" I started.

"The Tower. Where else would two random Trainers without Pokémon find a Pokéball?" Press said sarcastically.

Red nodded, casting my uncle an odd glance. "Right. Well…good luck out there. Watch out for the Rockets."

"_Rockets_?" I hissed as the kid walked off.

"Not literal rockets. The other half of the world…the thief part of it…they call themselves Team Rocket." Press said. "And we should try and keep our Pokémon out of sight if we can help it. These are rarer ones. They used to be common before the war."

"I take it a lot of Pokémon and people died?" I asked.

"I'm not even sure who's still alive and who's six feet under." Press admitted. "I know that some Pokémon have gone extinct. I know some close friends of mine have died here. I know the Acolyte has died, leaving the job to his daughter, who isn't much older than Red. This Territory has its beauty…it's just harder to see it now. It's been tainted by war…something it didn't have to witness."

I nodded. "None of the Territories should see war."

Press sighed. "Let's just continue on." He motioned to the grass in front of us.

I clipped my—Pokéball, was it? Odd name—to the first spot on my belt to the right side. I put the empty one to my left. "So which one did you have? The…thing or the pigeon?"

Press chuckled. "The 'thing' is called a Vulpix, which sort of resembles a fox. And I think you claimed that one. I have a Pidgeotto. It's a bird."

"Odd combination…" I muttered.

"Red probably stole them from a Rocket at some point. That kid's really unpredictable…just like his father. Speaking of him, I'll have to stop by and chat. I haven't seen Joe in a long time." Press made sure I was still keeping up with him before continuing. "Red's father is the Traveler of Alth. And a damn good one too, if I may add. He nearly stopped Alth from going to war with five words. If only Saint Dane hadn't been where he had been…we might have saved this place."

"The people here are so easily swayed to take a side?" I felt as though I had overlooked an extremely important detail.

"They can be, making it an extremely dangerous Territory. If Saint Dane has already worked his way into the ranks, talking to the officials…the rulers…we could be in more trouble than we thought." Press stopped walking.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Don't make a sound. There are thieves up ahead." Press muttered. He slowly sank to one knee and parted part of the grass, staring ahead. I dropped down next to him.

There were three people up ahead on a path. One of them was older, with graying hair. He was wearing a lab coat. The other two were dressed in black, complete with black caps. A red letter 'R' was stitched into the front of their outfits. I suspected I knew who these guys were.

"I didn't expect to run into danger just outside of town." I whispered.

"You never know what to expect on Alth." Press sighed.

The two Rocket members had cornered the older guy into a tree. He was speaking fast, rushed…he was obviously scared. I spotted a few Pokéballs lying scattered across the ground.

"Can we do something?" I asked.

"Just wait… they probably have reinforcements just around the corner."

"Or right here." Came a low voice behind us.

I spun around to see two more Rockets, both of them holding a Pokéball in a hand. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way." The first one said. He was a young guy…probably just a bit older than me.

"Just give us everything you have and we'll let you go." The second piped up. He looked to be more around Red's age.

I shook my head. I was afraid if I spoke, I would say something incredibly stupid.

"No? All right, then…we'll settle for that ring around your finger. What's it made of? Onyx stone?" the older Rocket asked.

"What does it matter to you? You've got some nerve, kid." Press said.

"I think they want to do it the hard way." The smaller kid cast a look at the other.

"Very well, then. We'll make short work of this." The older Rocket threw his Pokéball into the air, where it burst open in a flash of purple light. The light condensed at his feet, forming into a huge, rat-like creature with long whiskers and extremely sharp looking teeth. It was a light brown with large ears that twitched at the slightest breeze. It ran around its Trainer's legs, as though happy to be out of the tiny space.

The younger kid threw his Pokéball into the air, where it erupted in a flash of light blue. The light formed together in the air, where a small blue bat was left flapping. I took a step back. The only facial feature the thing had was a mouth.

"Go, Zubat! Use Bind!" the kid said proudly.

The bat gave an odd, almost electronic cry and swooped down at us. I ducked and stumbled back. Something grabbed my shoe from the ground, holding me in place. Thick vines erupted from the soil and wound up my legs to my knees, preventing me from moving. Press met with a similar fate.

"This is good," my uncle said with a small smile.

"Good?!" I hissed.

"The Zubat's a low level. It hasn't had much training. If it had, we wouldn't be able to move at all." Press motioned to the vines around our knees. "These would probably end up suffocating us."

"Oh," I muttered.

"Still won't give us what we want, eh?" the older Rocket grinned.

I shook my head and reached for my own Pokéball. "You're going to wish you've never done that." I threw it into the air, where a red flash of light formed.

"I won't give you the chance to attack! Go, Raticate! Use Hyper Fang!"

The ugly rodent running around his feet snapped to attention and lunged at me, fangs glowing an odd purple. I screamed and threw up my arms to protect my face. Press shouted something…There was an odd squeaking sound…

But the blow never came. I slowly lowered my guard to see the rat circling another Pokémon. This one looked a bit like a fox…at least, its ears did. It was reddish brown in colour, with a white underbelly. It had tiny curls of fur on its forehead and dark, fox-ish eyes. And it had six curled tails.

The fox yipped at the rat and swiped at it with a paw, making the Rocket's Pokémon flinch. Press had thrown his own Pokéball into the air, where a large, majestic bird had appeared.

"Let's get this over with." Press sighed. "Pidgeotto! Use Whirlwind!"

The bird began beating its wings harder, creating a mini tornado of dust. I shut my eyes and held onto my hat, hearing the wind pick up. Was this natural…?! Did Pokémon have some control over the weather now?

The wind eventually died down. I didn't uncover my eyes until I felt something tugging at the vines wrapped around my legs. I blinked and stared down at the little six-tailed fox, who was biting through the vines.

"That went well." Press grinned. The bird landed beside him and began tearing at the vines with its beak. "I think we succeeded in scaring the other Rockets away, too."

The fox had freed one of my legs and was hard at work at the other. I stared around the tall grass we had been in. Before, it had been over my head. Now it was all flattened by the gale force winds. I could actually see back to Lavender Town.

"What is this Pokémon again…?" I pointed to the fox.

"It's a Vulpix. And this is a Pidgeotto." Press patted the bird's back as it tore the last vine away from his leg.

The Pidgeotto was pretty impressive looking. A few long, multicoloured feathers streamed from its forehead and its feather design was very unique. It was by far the awesome thing I have ever seen.

I felt the last vine being tugged from my leg and looked down. The Vulpix was sitting at my feet, its head tilted to one side as though expecting something.

"You're pretty cute." I said.

Press chuckled.

A sound behind me made me turn. The old man from earlier was making his way through the flattened grass. "Did you create that whirlwind? Impressive! You really saved me there!" He glanced from my Vulpix to the Pidgeotto. "Oh my…Red was giving out Pokémon again, wasn't he?"

"How do you know?" I asked before I realized what I said.

The man laughed. "I'm Professor Oak. I'm a Pokémon expert. I know who has what…well, most of the time."

Oak was probably old enough to be my grandfather. He had gray hair that was sort of swept to one side and wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. His eyes were sharp, though. Sharp as a knife.

"I assume Joy told you about who brought what to the Centers?" Press grinned.

"All right, so she relayed her information to me. We've got to keep an eye on these Trainers, though." Oak shrugged. "Anyway, where are you off to? And who is this?" He cast me a look.

"This is Bobby…he's my nephew." Press said. "And we were just headed to the next town. I was going to show Bobby the place. He's not form around here."

"Tourists are always welcome." Oak said. "Oh, and don't hesitate to stop by my lab ever now and then."

"All right." I said.

He walked past us to Lavender Town. Press retrieved our Pokéballs and pointed up ahead. "If we keep going forward, we'll end up in Saffron. It's a bigger city…you'll get a feel for what this whole Territory's like."

"_Pix,_"

I stared down at the Vulpix, who was still sitting beside me. "What?"

Press' Pidgeotto had taken to the air and was circling overhead, keeping a lookout for anything that could pose a threat. I followed Press as he led the way.

"Hey…my Pokémon just said something." I said.

"Pokémon say their names. Or…they were named based off what they say. It's still unclear which one." Press shrugged. We had reached more grass that wasn't flattened. I pushed my way through the tall blades.

"So they can talk, but we can't always understand them?"

"Exactly. But a good Trainer can learn to recognize their Pokémon's intentions."

I cast another look at the Vulpix. "I sure hope I become a good Trainer…"

A rustle of grass up ahead made me hesitate. Press did the same. "Pokémon also like to hide in the tall grass," he said. "Although, there has been a shortage lately."

"How so?" I asked as the grass continued to rustle.

"During the wars, many of them have been wiped out. Only a few remain. I'm surprised we ran into one so close to Lavender."

My Vulpix had snapped to attention, growling at the moving grass until a small Pokémon had tumbled out. It looked like a green worm with large eyes and a pink, Y shaped antenna.

"A Caterpie," Press said. "It's no threat to us. Come on."

The caterpillar Pokémon cast me a glance and crawled off, my Vulpix still growling at it until it vanished out of sight. We followed Press to a path, tall grass lining either side of it. The path extended ahead toward a group of trees.

"Saffron is just up ahead." Press said.

We followed the path out to a small cluster of trees. After a few minutes of wondering through the mini forest, we stumbled upon another town, this one slightly bigger and in better shape than Lavender.

There were more houses that were in better condition than the ones in Lavender. I spotted a few mini-neighborhoods. The PokéCenter was more magnificent, with florescent lighting lining the rooftop. It was set into the middle of the town and was taller than all the other buildings. There was a small shop set up just to the right of the path we emerged from. A list of things it advertised was tacked to the doors and windows. There was even a five-star worthy hotel.

"This place is great…!" I remarked. "It's nothing like Lavender."

"Saffron is trying its hardest to recover." Press nodded. "The last time I was here, those houses weren't even built yet." He motioned to a group of homes up ahead.

"Wow…" I said. "So…what does this town offer?"

"Pokémon contests…the Center, the mart…a little bit of everything, I guess." Press shrugged.

"Contests?" I asked.

"You enter your Pokémon into a contest. If you get on the judges' good side, you earn points. You perform the moves your Pokémon knows and hopefully take first place. I've never been able to win. I swear, it's rigged. It's always some kid with the most common, unimpressive Pokémon."

High above, the Pidgeotto gave a screech and dived toward us, landing next to Press and buffeting me with wind. My Vulpix cast it an annoyed glance.

"I suppose the town's safe." Press said. He took the Pokéball at his side and recalled his Pokémon in a flash of light. "You might want to do the same. There's no telling how people will react to Pokémon so rare."

I took Vulpix's Pokéball from my belt and pressed the middle button. A flash of light like Press' engulfed the little fox and pulled it into the device.

"What do you think Saint Dane is doing here?" I asked as we walked further into the town.

"No telling," Press shrugged, "but I would be ready for anything. Anything at all. He could be anyone…"

I nodded. "Right."

"I suppose I should explain a bit about the towns here," Press said. He pointed at the PokéCenter. "This is where you take your Pokémon if it has been injured in battle. They will heal it to full health at no charge. There is always a Center in every town, but this one is by far the best. There is a battling arena in the lower levels, where Trainers from all over Alth gather to compete. The grand prizes are usually pretty decent despite the wars that have deprived the cities of anything of value."

"Awesome," I said. "So…if we want to get stronger, we just go there and beat the crap out of other Trainers?"

"You're catching on fast." Press slapped my back. "Good job."

"Can we go there now?"

"Not yet. I could spend an entire day in there if I could." Press grinned. "It really eats up time."

"So what do we do now?"

"I believe our biggest lead right now is Team Rocket." Press said. "We can start by gathering answers from them. If Saint Dane is anywhere around here, he'd be with them."

"So how do we find these Rockets?"

"We take a walk just outside of town." Press pointed to the right. "There's a path that leads to Lilycove. That place has the highest crime rate on the entire Territory."

"Oh. Fun," I muttered.

"It will be. Let's go." Press grinned and began walking. "Oh, and make sure to hold onto anything valuable. Some of these thieves are experts."

"Brilliant…"

We walked around the edge of town to another path, this one wider and without grass choking every inch of it. We began heading down the trail. I thought I felt someone watching me.

"What's Lilycove like?" I asked.

"It's built on the edge of the sea," Press said, "it's home to many fishermen and Water-type Trainers. They're a fairly simple bunch, but they catch most of the seafood around here."

"Do they have a cool Center too?" I thought I saw someone duck behind a tree.

"They have a move deleter." Press glanced to the side. "He makes Pokémon forget a move so they can learn another."

"How many moves can a Pokémon know?" I asked.

"That depends on how much they love and trust you. The more they do, the more moves they can learn."

I saw someone else. I was fairly sure we were being surrounded. "Uncle Press…?"

He didn't respond. He just kept his gaze fixed ahead and kept walking.

I tried not to look as though I expected an ambush. My muscles tightened and my hands curled into fists. I was ready…I just hoped I looked like another kid to rob to them…They would get a surprise fist in their face.

Press cast me a grin.

"You there! Stop!" A voice echoed behind us.

I turned to see two more Rocket members. They were about the same height and wore similar black outfits with the red 'R' on the front, but something about them set them apart from the other two we went up against. These guys looked unsure and possibly scared.

The first one had bluish gray hair that reached to about the middle of his neck. His eyes were wide enough that I could see green irises staring back at me. He held four Pokéballs, two in each hand, and looked as though any second he would drop them.

The second had long, red hair that curled to her knees. She had piercing blue eyes and looked as though she had more confidence over this robbery than her partner did. She held a single Pokéball, arm cocked back to throw it. The pair of them didn't look any older than seventeen.

"Hands in the air!" the boy commanded.

Press chuckled. "Did Team Rocket recently recruit you two? You're doing a terrible job of hiding it."

The girl blinked. "Recently? I've been with the Team for two years! It's James…he was simply so horrendous with every other Rocket he worked with. Now I'm stuck with him," she huffed.

"Stuck with you?" the boy, James, glared. "You practically begged the boss to pair me up with you!"

"I did not!"

"That's not what he told me, Jessie," James grumbled.

Jessie took a deep breath and calmed down enough to glare back at us two Trainers. "So…where are you two headed?"

"Lilycove." I said.

"It's a lovely city. I recommend the sushi," she smiled, an evilness lying beneath the gesture. "That is…if you still have enough money with you to purchase it after we're done with you."

"We intend to." Press nodded.

"We'll see about that!" James declared. He threw the Pokéballs he had, sending them scattering all around the road. Beams of light shot from each, solidifying into a Pokémon. Two I recognized as Zubat and Raticate. Two more were completely foreign to me.

One was a tall, terrifying plant-like…thing. It had beady black eyes that glared straight through my skull. Its head resembled a Venus Flytrap, with teeth for the trap's bars. Its body was a spherical orange, with long leaves as arms growing from it. Its 'legs', if you could call them that, were many vines, all a different shade of green or even a light pink root colour.

The other was a large, black and white wolf. Its eyes were yellow, with red for irises and a void of black for a pupil. Its claws looked razor sharp and its teeth glimmered in the light. I took a step back. I felt extremely intimidated by the thing…

"Attack! Carnivine, use Leech Seed!" James commanded. He seemed a lot more confident now that he had his Pokémon to do the talking.

The giant Venus Flytrap turned its gaze from me back to its Trainer. It lunged at him instead of us, jaws opening wide.

"Not me! Attack _them_!" James dodged its jaws and kicked it back. "Attack them!" He pointed at us.

Jessie sighed and smacked her forehead with her open palm. "Do I really have to do everything around here?" she growled. "Let's test this new Pokémon out. Go, Lucario!"

She threw the Pokéball, where it was engulfed in fierce, lightning-like bolts. A Pokémon appeared in front of her that was nearly as tall as me. It had pointed blue ears and its fur was coloured in a way that it looked as though it were wearing a black mask around its eyes. Its torso was a light yellow, a spike adorning its chest. It had similar spikes on the backs of its hands…or paws…a crooked tail twitched in annoyance.

"Time to battle!" Press looked way too excited about this. He released his Pidgeotto, which took to the air in a rush of wind. I sent out my own Vulpix, who hissed and spat, fur bristling, at the Carnivine thing.

"Such rare Pokémon!" Jessie gasped. "Our boss will reward us beautifully when we present him with them! Lucario! Aura Sphere!"

Her Lucario cast my Vulpix a glance but didn't do anything else.

"I said," Jessie commanded in a harsher tone, "Aura Sphere!"

The Lucario turned its gaze to me, trailing its way down my arm to my Traveler ring. Its eyes widened slightly.

I pulled my sleeve over my hand.

"I'll take care of this! Mightyena! Raticate! Use Quick Attack!" James shouted. The giant plant Pokémon had finally left him alone.

The wolf and the rat turned their attention on us. I stepped back as my Vulpix jumped into the way of the Raticate, taking the hit for me. It let out a squeak of pain and stumbled, but didn't stay down. The Mightyena had jumped and successfully struck Press' Pidgeotto, ripping a few pink and yellow feathers from its side.

"Uh…Vulpix! Attack!" I shouted.

My Pokémon only cast me a patient glance, as though expecting something more.

"Pidgeotto! Use Wing Attack! Vulpix! Ember!" Press commanded for me.

The Vulpix immediately sprang into action and jumped at the Raticate, spitting a mass of fire at James' Pokémon. Its fur ignited and it screeched, rolling on the ground to try and extinguish the burn. My Vulpix cast me an excited look and bounded back over to me as if nothing had happened. James recalled his Raticate into the Pokéball.

The Pidgeotto, meanwhile, had created two mini whirlwinds in its wings. With one powerful, downwards swoop, the two whirlwinds were sent flying at the wolf. It was buffeted and sent flying backward, striking the Carnivine.

_You truly are not from around here, are you_?

The voice took me by surprise. I glanced around wildly, but was unable to find the speaker. "Who…?!"

_You do not know the true abilities of your Vulpix, do you? And that ring…Are you who I think you are_?

Jessie stomped her foot in a very frustrated, childlike manner. "This is taking too long! Lucario! Finish them off or I'll condemn you into the deepest ocean I can find!"

The Lucario sighed and locked eye contact with me. _I am sorry; Traveler of Second Earth, but it appears I must fight you_.

**XxXxXxXx**

**Hey, look an update on this story! Surprise!**

**So yeah, tell me what you think, please!**

**Hasta la Vista, Readers!**

**Lordoftheghostking28**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

**XxXxXxXx**

**ALTH**

**XxXxXxXx**

_I am sorry; Traveler of Second Earth, but it appears I must fight you_.

Though I heard the Lucario's voice loud and clear, I didn't see its mouth move to form the words. I blinked in confusion.

_Your Vulpix is strong. It knows many devastating attacks. Tell it to fight me. Make it use the move Flamethrower_.

"Lucario! Use Aura Sphere!"

"Vulpix! Use Flamethrower!"

I just shouted it. I didn't think. I just did as the Lucario told me to. I watched as my little Pokémon jumped back into the battle and rushed toward Jessie's. The Lucario also acted, a blue sphere of energy forming in its hand. But Vulpix was faster.

It leaped up into the air, a stream of burning fire shooting from its mouth. I could feel the heat from where I was standing. The Lucario fell to the ground, clutching at its arm and trying to extinguish its fur that had ignited.

_Good…remember that move. It is extremely powerful_.

I nodded, mostly to myself.

"Pidgeotto! Ariel Ace!" Press shouted.

The Pidgeotto dove at the Zubat and struck it, sending it plummeting to the ground. James recalled it into the Pokéball with a mutter of complaint.

The Mightyena, the Lucario and the Carnivine were all that remained of the Rockets' Pokémon. Our own Pokémon had survived this far without much more than a few scratches…that was a good sign.

_Use Return…on the Carnivine_.

"Vulpix! Attack the Carnivine! Return!" I declared.

"_Pix!_" Vulpix ran toward the plant Pokémon and jumped, knocking it to the ground with its tails. It slashed its claws down its face, ripping into the plant-like green. Then it simply walked back to me as if nothing had happened.

James recalled his other Pokémon, leaving only the Mightyna. Jessie still had her Lucario…the Lucario that seemed to be more on our side.

"Brickbreak!" Jessie commanded. "Knock that kid out!"

The Lucario ignored the Vulpix and instead ran at me. I braced myself for the hit, stepping back a few paces. I shut my eyes.

"No!"

I heard the sound of a fists meeting flesh. I opened my eyes to see Press fall back, nearly pushing me over. He didn't move.

"Press…? Uncle Press…?!"

_I'm sorry_…

The Lucario backed up a few paces.

Press' Pidgeotto gave a loud shriek and flapped its powerful wings, sending it down the airborne path it was following. Gone.

"That's some unfaithful Pokémon…" James smirked.

I slowly lowered Press to the ground. A small line of blood trailed from his mouth down the side of his chin. I tried to ignore it and instead stood tall.

"Vulpix! Use—"

"Mightyena! Astonish!" James interrupted.

The wolf drew back a few paces before bolting at me, sending me in a backing-up frenzy. I stumbled and fell, the Pokémon nearly on top of me. It didn't do anything but glare. My Vulpix was staring at me, visibly shaking with fright.

I was paralyzed. I couldn't move. Not with this Pokémon staring into my soul.

"Aw…look at him." Jessie snickered. The Mightyena backed off, but its glare still held. "It's super effective."

My Vulpix regained its senses and stared at me, waiting for me to issue its next command. "_Pix!_"

"R…right…" I stood, my knees threatening to give out. "Vulpix! Flamethrower!"

My Pokémon lunged at the Mightyena, a stream of fire leaving its mouth. The wolf growled and tried to avoid the fire, singeing its legs in the process. It dodged, but barely.

Jessie frowned. "Just give up, kid!"

I narrowed my eyes and adjusted my cap. "Never! Now, Vulpix! Finish it up with Return!" I pointed at James' Pokémon.

"Mightyena! Dodge! Use Crunch!" James shouted.

My Vulpix leapt at the wolf, missing as it dodged to the side. The Mightyena ignored my Pokémon, instead jumping at me, its jaws wide.

"Aaaagh!" I shouted., throwing up my hands to protect my face.

I felt its jaws close down around my fingers, one of its teeth crunching down on my Traveler ring. I tried to twist away…to protect myself. My fingers were red and my blood dripped out of the side of its mouth.

There was a gust of wind. The Mightyena tried to hold onto my fingers, digging its teeth into my flesh. But the wind was too great. It let go and skittered back a few feet, something glimmering around one of its front teeth.

My ring.

"No!" I shouted over the roar of the wind in my ears. I finally turned my attention to what was causing the gale.

Press' Pidgeotto was standing in the middle of the battle. A small kid dressed in a large straw hat, black pants, yellow boots and a matching shirt jumped from its back. A leather belt holding three Pokéballs hung from his waist. A small yellow creature with red cheeks and black-tipped ears sat on his shoulder.

"Team Rocket? I shoulda' known!" He said in a young voice. "I knew there was trouble as soon as I saw this here bird Pokémon! Now, where's Red?"

"Red?" Jessie laughed. "Who is this Red you speak of? The only ones here are ourselves…and those two twerps over there." She motioned to Press and me.

The kid cast me a glance. "Oh?"

I seized the opportunity. "Vulpix! Flamethrower!"

My Pokémon snapped into action and rushed for the Mightyena again. The wolf seemed to realize how much danger it was in and didn't successfully execute a dodge. It managed to escape the worst of the flames, but its fur was still ignited. It tossed my Traveler ring into the air toward the Rocket members, where James caught it.

"Great job, Mightyena." He grinned nastily, recalling his Pokémon back into its Pokéball. "At least our mission wasn't a complete failure."

"Let's go while we're ahead! The ring along with the Lucario will earn us a plentiful bounty!" Jessie agreed. She recalled the Lucario. "See you around, boys!"

"I am not a boy!" The kid in yellow growled.

Wait…what…? He certainly looked like a guy…

The two Rocket grunts ran off the beaten path into the woods. I started to follow.

"You can't go in there!" The yellow kid gasped. He—or was it she?—grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "There's too many Rockets! You'll be robbed of everythin' ya have before ya have a chance to call upon yer Pokémon!"

"They've got my ring!" I protested. "I need that back! It's important to me!"

"I know…I'm sorry…but it's gone."

I glared at the kid. "Who are you?"

"I'm Yellow." The kid said. "And I am not a boy." She took off her big straw hat, letting her long blonde hair trail down her back. "I hate it when people call me a boy. And I'm sorry about yer ring…I know what it's for."

She held up her hand, where a Traveler ring was set on her index finger. "I'm the Acolyte of Alth."

I blinked. "You are…? But you're so young…!"

"What difference does that make?" Yellow protested.

The little yellow Pokémon with her climbed onto her hat. "_Pika,_"

"Oh, that reminds me…" Yellow said. "I need to find Red. I have to give his Pikachu back."

"He's back in Lavender." I said. "But first…can you help me? I need to find a hospital! My uncle's hurt." I ran back to Press and nudged him slightly.

"Yeah. I can." Yellow said. "Get him onto the Pidgeotto. It can fly us the rest of the way to Lilycove."

I'm going to leave my journal off here, guys. I had to borrow Yellow's ring to send this to you…I hope it reached you without any trouble.

**XxXxXxXx**

**SECOND EARTH**

**XxXxXxXx**

"You read the journal without me?!"

"I couldn't help it!" Mark protested.

Courtney crossed her arms. "Yeah. Sure," she glared. "Give it to me. It's my turn."

Mark handed it over, where she snatched the pages out of his hand. She sat next to him and began to read. Mark passed the time she took by reading to study for an upcoming Algebra II test.

It was about an hour later when Courtney put the pages down. "This is not how I remember Pokémon…"

"Me neither." Mark admitted.

"But it makes sense…" She glanced at the pages again. "I know this is sudden…and I know we're risking a lot…but remember when I suggested we head to Press' house to take a look at the journals?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we should actually do it. Maybe we can find information for Bobby…about Team Rocket and the whole Territory. Maybe we can find something that can help him get his ring back."

Mark hesitated. "I don't have any money for the bus."

"That's the least of our worries. I'm still concerned that Saint Dane will be waiting for us there." Courtney glanced back at the journal. "Speaking of him…he hasn't shown himself yet, has he?"

"No…and that makes me want to go to Press' as soon as possible. We may be able to stop him before he has a chance to strike." Mark said.

"Good…make plans to head to the library on Saturday." Courtney said.

"What? Why the library?"

"We're not really going to the library," Courtney sighed. "We're just going to tell our parents that so they don't worry about us!"

"Oh…right." Mark muttered. "Ok. And until then, I'll try to find enough money to purchase a bus ticket."

Courtney nodded. "You do that."

**XxXxXxXx**

Saturday came faster than they expected. At one o'clock in the afternoon, they set out to the "library" together. The bus heading out of town arrived on time, and they took seats in the front. They sat in silence as the bus made its way out of the city toward the outskirts. Courtney only spoke as they stepped off the bus and began walking.

"Press' house is a few streets up ahead. Keep a lookout for anything…suspicious."

"Right." Mark muttered.

Nothing besides a large dog behind a tall fence drew his attention. They eventually came upon a large house, with a lawn that was overgrown and infested with weeds.

"This is it." Courtney said.

"How can you tell?" Mark asked.

"The lawn's a mess," she said simply.

The two of them walked up to the front door. Courtney found a key under the doormat and inserted it into the lock, opening the door with a creak.

"Hello…?" She called uncertainly.

No one answered her. She pushed the door open and motioned for Mark to follow. She quickly shut the door and pointed down the hall. "I think the weird room is that way…"

The two of them followed the hallway past half-shut doors. A draft blew across their feet, and Courtney pointed to a closed door on the left.

Mark pushed it open.

Courtney's mouth fell open.

The entire room, which must have been at some point a magnificent library, was trashed. Shelves and books were thrown everywhere, papers torn and some even burned. The multicoloured pages of the journals were crumbled together, as though a rainbow had crashed into the middle of the room. The walls were slashed, as though someone was searching them for another hidden room. One of the windows was broken.

"Wh…what happened?!" Mark gasped.

"I don't know…!" Courtney stammered. "Someone was looking for something…I think…"

"Maybe whoever it was didn't find what they were looking for." Mark suggested.

"Looks like it." Courtney nodded.

"Uh oh…" Mark muttered. He tugged the ring off his finger and threw it into the middle of the floor as it began to glow and expand. Music burst from it as it grew blinding. Courtney and Mark shielded their eyes until the burning light faded away.

Lying in the wreckage of the other journals was Bobby's intact one.

Both Courtney and Mark dived for it.

**XxXxXxXx**

**ALTH**

**XxXxXxXx**

Sorry I had to end the previous journal the way I did, but I was running out of paper.

Anyway, Yellow and I managed to secure Press to the Pidgeotto's back as we made our way toward the next town. We didn't run into any more Rocket grunts, which I now classify as a minor miracle. We ended up in the middle of a small fishing town. Docks extended from the land everywhere, dipping far into the deep blue water. Many houses lined the water, kids and young people splashing in the waves. I saw a few more Pokémon, but they never strayed from their Trainer's sides.

"We can take him to the Center." Yellow said. "Nurse Joy will know what to do. Since the wars, she's become an expert in both Pokémon care and our care."

We headed toward the PokéCenter, which easily was the largest, most advanced building in the entire area. This town was fairly simple. They didn't have anything they didn't need.

We did draw a lot of attention as we entered the double glass doors. Many Trainers stopped to gawk at us, a few even walking over to ask me to battle. Their questions died in their throats as they spotted Press lying on the bird Pokémon's back.

A young woman with pink curled hair ran up to us. "Oh dear…" she muttered. "What happened?"

"He was ambushed by Rocket grunts." Yellow said. "Can you take care of him?"

The woman nodded. "Bring him to the back room."

I followed her and Yellow and Press' Pidgeotto trotted along beside me. Joy was dressed simply. She wore pink doctor's scrubs under a white apron with a pocket on the right side. She had a nurses' cap on, with a red cross on the front. She had blue eyes and a face that looked as though she had seen her fair share of war. She had styled the back of her hair into pigtails, securing the ends of her hair back near her head to create a loop. Simple, but rather creative. She didn't look any older than nineteen.

"Aren't you supposed to be with your mother, Yellow?" Joy asked, pushing open a door that led into a clinical-looking room.

"Not really. I did everything she asked me to…and I've been trying to find Red." Yellow pointed to the Pikachu on her shoulder. "I'm supposed to give him his Pokémon back."

"_Pika._" The Pikachu said. It hopped from the Trainer's shoulder and onto Press' stomach.

"We're going to move him to that bed over there." Joy pointed to a bed wedged against the far corner. "I'll need your help, though."

I nodded.

Together, we carefully transported Press from his Pokémon's back to the hospital bed, Red's Pikachu still sitting on his stomach. It poked his arm, as though trying to wake him. "_Pika…?_"

"I'll send for you if anything changes." Joy said. "But it looks to me as if he's suffering from a minor concussion. I'll make sure he's back on his feet as soon as possible."

"Thank you." I said.

"Yellow, why don't you take your friend here and see what you can catch off the far dock. I heard there's a school of Seakings out there right now." Joy nodded.

"Really? Let's go!" Yellow said gleefully. She skipped to the door and waited for me. "Pikachu, stay and guard him, ok?"

Red's Pikachu nodded and curled up on Press' stomach. I motioned for the Pidgeotto to stay as well. I followed the excited Trainer out the door and back into the small town.

"Lilycove is beautiful." I said.

"It's the best town there is! And there's so much to eat and do! We could probably rent a boat and go to the deepest parts of the sea and catch some rare Pokémon!" Yellow pointed giddily at a dock. Ropes sprung off from every post, securing many boats in place. A man sat in front of a dock, reading a book.

"Or we could go swimming!" Yellow motioned to the kids playing in the water. "Or we could find someone to battle! Everyone here is a good sport!"

"Calm down a little." I laughed. I couldn't remember being this carefree. Well, mostly. I was still worried about Uncle Press. And my Traveler ring. And Saint Dane…

Ok, maybe I really did need some time to just relax.

"There's also a lot of shops over there! This is the best market in the world!" Yellow said. "They have so many things from all over Alth!"

I shrugged. "Pick something for me."

Yellow considered all the things she had just pointed out to me, finally settling her gaze on the dock guarded by the reading man. "Let's go fishing!"

"Sure," I nodded.

Yellow beat me to the man and asked him if we could borrow a boat for two. The guy shook his head. He said we had to pay 200 Pokédollars if we wanted to rent one. Yellow's happy expression quickly changed to its opposite and she slowly turned and walked away.

"What are Pokédollars?" I asked when we were out of earshot.

"The currency here." Yellow explained. "Two hundred is fairly cheap…but everyone around here has hit hard times. And my family can barely afford to keep food on the table. I don't have a dollar on me…everything I've earned goes to feeding my family. That guy never charged anything before…"

"Oh…" I said. "I'm sorry. But I'm sure we can find something else to do around here."

"Yeah," Yellow nodded. "And we can always fish off the end of the docks, too. It won't be as much fun as in a boat, but it is still pretty cool."

I heard a shout behind me. Yellow waved at whoever was coming in our direction. I turned to see Nurse Joy walking toward us, a smile on her face.

"He's recovering faster than I thought," she said. "He's already conscious. You can see him if you want."

I nodded. "Sure."

Yellow and I followed Joy back into the PokéCenter. We walked into the back room.

"I'll give you a few minutes." Joy said. "I have some customers I need to help out." She turned to walk back into the Center.

Press' Pidgeotto was sitting at the foot of the bed, Red's Pikachu nestled on its back. Press himself was sitting, propped up by pillows.

"Uncle Press!" I grinned. "I'm so glad you're not dead."

Press scoffed. "Sure you are. I bet you can't wait to get rid of me."

Yellow laughed. "So…what happened to ya? What knocked ya out like a light?"

"One of the Rocket grunts had a Lucario," Press said. "Stolen, obviously. It hesitated before every command."

"The Lucario taught me how to battle with my Vulpix." I said.

Press blinked. "It did?"

"He said my Pokémon knew the moves Return and Flamethrower along with Ember."

"Did it now…"

"Is this important?"

"It could be." Press nodded. "But I'm not entirely sure."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a hunch that the Lucario wasn't stolen from just any Trainer," Press glanced at Yellow. "I believe you know what I'm talking about. But Team Rocket has never been strong enough to go up against the Elite Four and steal their Pokémon."

Yellow's eyes widened. "Are…are ya sayin' that they stole Cynthia's Lucario?"

"Who's that?" I asked.

"The half of Alth that is not under Team Rocket's control is now ruled under four Pokémon Trainers…the Elite Four. They are said to be the best Trainers in all of Alth." Press said.

"But they should call themselves the Elite Three now," Yellow piped up. "The fourth member defected to the Rocket's side. The three that remain are Lance, Cynthia, and Bruno. Giovanni, the guy who defected, hasn't been heard from since he left."

"And you believe that Cynthia's Pokémon has been stolen?" I said.

"Yeah. But the only one good enough to do that would be Giovanni."

"Or Saint Dane." Press added in a hushed tone.

"That was what I was thinking." I nodded.

"It seems like something he would do…give us a subtle clue that he is here and he intends to do damage to this Territory…damage worse than the wars ever dreamed of doing."

"Saint Dane is here?" Yellow's face lit up with worry.

I simply nodded again. "We're going to stop him…even if it kills us."

** XxXxXxXx**

**Sorry for the inconsistent updates and such. I've had writer's block for a long time and I'm just now getting over it. **

**Hopefully updates will come sooner rather than later now…**

**Anyway, remember to review!**

**Hasta la Vista, Readers!**

**Lordoftheghostking28**


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